The Spy Who Loved Me is the tenth film in the EON Productions James Bond series and the third to star Roger Moore as British Secret Service agent, Commander James Bond. Released in 1977, it is the second Bond film to be directed by Lewis Gilbert. Gilbert previously directed You Only Live Twice (1967) and would later direct Moonraker (1979).

The Spy Who Loved Me marks the first film in the EON Productions series to not to be produced by Harry Saltzman, who had previously sold his shares of EON Productions to United Artists in 1975 following the release of The Man with the Golden Gun. It is also the first wholly original Bond film to be written, as Ian Fleming only gave permission for the title to be used. The film was subsequently novelised by Christopher Wood.

Plot summary: Ballistic missile submarines from the Royal Navy and the Soviet fleet mysteriously disappear. James Bond is summoned to investigate. On the way he escapes an ambush by Soviet agents in Austria, killing one of them in a downhill ski chase that concludes when he skies off a cliff and falls only to open a Union Flag parachute. Bond learns that the plans for a highly advanced submarine tracking system are on the market.

He travels to Egypt and attempts to contact the prospective seller near the pyramids, where he first encounters Major Anya Amasova (codename “Triple X”) of the KGB, his rival for the plans. Together, they travel across Egypt tracking the microfilm plans, meeting the seven feet-tall steel-toothed assassin Jaws along the way. Ultimately, they partner due to a truce supported by their respective superiors (M from MI6 and General Gogol from the KGB) and identified the person behind all the thefts as Karl Stromberg, a shipping tycoon.

While travelling to Stromberg’s base in Sardinia, Bond saves Amasova from Jaws and their rivalry changes into affection. Posing as a marine biologist and his wife, they visit Stromberg’s base and learn of his mysterious new supertanker, the Liparus. With Q’s help, they figured that the “Liparus” has never come into port. After they leave the base, Jaws and other henchmen, including a helicopter pilot named Naomi, chase them, but all attempts fail due to Bond’s driving skills and the fact that his car—a Lotus Esprit from Q Branch—can convert into a submarine that is capable of firing missiles and torpedoes and planting mines. Amasova learns Bond killed her lover in Austria when she saw the lighter that he bought from Austria during the time that Amasova’s lover was killed and she says that she will complete the mission with him, but kill him when it ends.

Caroline Munro, Roger Moore, Barbara Bach.

Assisted by an American submarine, Bond and Amasova examine Stromberg’s underwater Atlantis base and confirm that he is operating the tracking system. The two board an American submarine in pursuit of the “Liparus.” The submarine in which they then attempt to pursue the Liparus is captured by the supertanker itself. Stromberg sets his plan in motion: The launching of nuclear missiles from the previously captured submarines were going to be used to destroy Moscow and New York City. This would trigger a global nuclear war, which Stromberg would outlive in Atlantis, and subsequently a new civilization would be established. He leaves for Atlantis with Amasova.

Bond frees the captured British, Russian, and American submariners and they battle the Liparus’ crew. Bond reprograms the British and Soviet submarines to destroy each other, saving Moscow and New York. The victorious submariners escape the sinking Liparus on the surviving American submarine. Bond insists on a final confrontation with Stromberg and the rescue of Amasova before the submarine has to follow its orders and destroy Atlantis. Bond confronts Stromberg in a dining room. He kills Stromberg but again encounters Jaws. Bond lifts Jaws using an electromagnet (which attracts Jaws’ metal teeth), dropping him into a tank with a shark inside.

Bond reunites with Amasova and they flee in an escape pod as Atlantis is sunk. In the pod Amasova reminds Bond that she has vowed to kill him and picks up Bond’s gun, but admits having forgiven him and the two have sex. They are unknowingly picked up by the Royal Navy and their escape pod is opened in front of everyone, much to the displeasure of their superiors, M and Gogol. Jaws is shown ironically biting the sharks to death, before swimming to freedom.

See also:

• Spy Who Loved Me, The: Film - Cast
• Spy Who Loved Me, The: Film - Crew
• Spy Who Loved Me, The: Film - Goofups
• Spy Who Loved Me, The: Film - Locations
• Spy Who Loved Me, The: Film - Soundtrack
• Spy Who Loved Me, The: Film - Trivia